Jim Edgar, a former Illinois governor who has gone down as one of the most successful and popular politicians in the state's history, has died.

Edgar died on Sunday from complications of pancreatic cancer. He was 79 years old.

Edgar was born July 22, 1946, in Vinita, Oklahoma, but raised in Charleston, Illinois in the central part of the state. He was a born-again Christian, raised by a single mother after his father died in a car accident.

He graduated from Eastern Illinois University, where he met his wife, Brenda. Together, they had two children.

Edgar, a lifelong Republican, first entered Illinois state politics as a young man in 1968. He first served as a legislative intern with the staff of Illinois Senate President Pro Tempore W. Russell Arrington, who was described on Edgar's website as his "first and most influential mentor."

Edgar ran unsuccessfully for Illinois House of Representatives in 1974, but ran again and won in 1976. He was reelected in 1978.

Early in 1981, after Illinois Secretary of State Alan Dixon was elected to the U.S. Senate, Edgar was appointed to fill the vacancy. He was elected to full terms in that office in 1982 and 1986, and was credited with a crackdown on drunken driving in Illinois in that role.

He also pushed as secretary of state for mandatory car insurance for all drivers.

When Illinois Gov. Jim Thompson decided not to run for a fifth term in 1990, Edgar ran for governor and won — defeating Illinois Attorney General Neil Hartigan, who ran on the Democratic side.

He was sworn in as Illinois' 38th Governor on Jan. 14, 1991.

"We are challenged as never before by change," Edgar said in his inaugural address on that date.

Those challenges came quickly. When Edgar took over, the U.S. was in a recession, and the State of Illinois had nearly a $1 billion spending deficit.

 In 1991, Edgar faced a three-month stalemate with lawmakers over his proposed budget — which called for hundreds of millions in cuts to welfare and other state programs.

State workers went days without pay before both sides reached an agreement, cutting $80 million in spending and keeping what was supposed to be a temporary 20% income tax surcharge.

In the summer of 1993, Edgar led the state through the Great Flood along the Mississippi River, joining volunteers sandbagging.

To this day, the flood remains the most expensive natural disaster in Illinois history.

Also in his first term as governor, the Illinois State Library Heritage Project recalls, Edgar advocated for better prenatal care and early childhood education.

There was speculation that Edgar quit after one term, after undergoing quadruple bypass surgery in 1994 at the age of 51, but he recovered and ran for reelection that year — easily defeating Illinois Comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch on the Democratic side.

Without increasing taxes, Edgar in his second term focused on education, abused and neglected children, and school reform. He once called Chicago school reform his proudest achievement.

During his time in office, there were periodic clashes with Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley over airports — specifically Meigs on the lakefront, which Daley wanted closed. Edgar intervened when Daley had Meigs Field closed in 1996, and the pair broke a deal to keep the airport open for another five years.

Edgar and Daley also battled over whether casino gambling should be allowed in Chicago, and over a proposal for a domed stadium for the Bears near McCormick Place that never ended up getting built.

But the biggest scandal that brushed Edgar's administration came as he testified in the bribery trial of state contractors.  Consulting firm Management Services of Illinois, its cofounder Michael Martin, and former Illinois Department of Public Aid staffer Ron Lowder were all convicted of bribery and mail fraud in 1997, on the grounds that they misappropriated funds for the consulting firm's contract with the Public Aid Department, published reports recalled.

Edgar himself was never accused of wrongdoing.

A short time later, Edgar made the surprising decision to retire from politics, rather than seek reelection or run for the U.S. Senate. Republican George Ryan won the race to become Edgar's successor.

Edgar remained active in political and economic matters in Illinois in the more than 25 years since he left public office. In recent years, he has been a strong critic of President Trump — calling him "the biggest disaster we've ever had in American government"  in an interview with Joe Donlon and Irika Sargent in March 2024 as Illinois primary results came in.

Edgar campaigned for Democrat Kamala Harris as part of the nationwide push, "Republicans for Harris."

But Edgar also said President Trump had a good chance of winning a nonconsecutive second term the following November, which Mr. Trump went on to do.

In February 2025, Edgar announced that he was battling metastatic pancreatic cancer.

But he didn't let the cancer slow him down. A few months later, a special ceremony was held to honor his legacy with the dedication of the Jim Edgar Reading Room at the Illinois State Library in Springfield.

"There is perhaps no more fitting tribute to him than the Illinois State Library reading room, a place that holds within it shelves and pages upon pages that extol the virtue that Jim Edgar has exemplified and fought for throughout his life — civic engagement, public good, intellectual freedom," Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said at the dedication for the reading room.

Reactions to the passing of Jim Edgar

Illinois officials are expressing their condolences following the news of Edgar's passing.

In part, Gov. JB Pritzker said he was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of the former Governor.

"I was lucky enough to consider him a friend and mentor and have found myself drawing from his words of wisdom on countless occasions. His commitment to reaching across the aisle in service of the people of Illinois undeniably made our state better," he said.

Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton called Edgar "a man of principle."

"He saw past political divides and emphasized the importance of unity in leadership by making a point to always extend his hand across the aisle. He was practical, gave great advice, and did everything he could to build up the next generation of future leaders so that Illinois can continue to grow."

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias remembers Edgar as a friend and a mentor.

"Jim spoke frequently about the importance of the 'Three C's': Civility, Compromise, and Compassion – words that resonate more than ever today. Together, he believed they served as the foundation of a healthy democracy, knowing that as Americans, we work best when we collaborate and work out our differences, show compassion toward those who need help, and treat one another with respect and dignity."

Hinsdale Village President Greg Hart credits Edgar for mentoring him as an up-and-comer in politics.

"He showed me kindness and wisdom that shaped the way I lead today. I was fortunate to also be part of the Edgar Fellows program, which reflects his lifelong commitment to developing future leaders."

Former Gov. Pat Quinn said, "Gov. Jim Edgar was a good and decent man who cared deeply about the people of Illinois. He believed in property tax reform and a quality education for everyone."   

Mayor Brandon Johnson extended his condolences to Edgar's family, saying in part, "Governor Edgar's legacy of public service, bipartisanship, and a deep care for the people of Illinois will ripple for generations."